The Rider
by Enter
Summary: In a desperate attempt to save Leslie, Jesse sells his soul to the devil. What consequences will he have to face?  Bridge to Teranithia x Ghost Rider
1. Chapter 1

In the darkness of his room, Jesse Aarons mourned the death of _her_. Leslie Burke.

His best friend.

His only friend.

The one who went out of her way to raise him from his lonesome existence.

The one who he cared about more then anyone else.

The one whom he now knew he loved, for what else but love could cause the agony he felt now?

The bedroom door creaked open as Jesse's younger sister May Belle entered the room. She padded across the floor toward his hunched figure, stopping at the foot of his bed. Neither of them spoke. Jesse stared blankly forward, his eyes still retaining their reddish hue from the tears that had fallen from them like a soft rain. He hardly cared what she was there for. All he knew is that Leslie was dead and he would never see her again.

A soft hand gently caressed his cheek, startling him. He looked up and saw that it was May Belle.

"It wasn't your fault Jess..." she whispered.

He did not respond. She would never understand. It _was_ all his fault.If only he hadn't gone with Miss Edmunds to that damn museum!If he had stayed with Leslie, then he might have been able to save her from drowning

Tears of concern welled up in May Belle's eyes.

"I'm going for a walk. Tell Mom and Dad." said Jesse, unable to look into May Belle's stricken face.

A few minutes later Jesse was walking at a brisk pace across the front lawn of the house. When the golden glow of the windows faded from view, he began to run. Faster and faster he went, and soon he was running faster than he had ever run in his entire life. As the darkness of night swirled around him, memories of Leslie tormented him, her words echoing through his agonized mind.

_Just close your eyes and keep your mind wide open. _

_Why don't you take a picture, it'll last longer._

_You are who you are - not your parents._

_We rule Terabithia, and nothing crushes us! _

But Leslie had been crushed, her young life snuffed out so unfairly. And there was no one to blame but himself.

And as he ran through the night, Jesse Aarons thanked the darkness for hiding his tears from the world.

Soon Jesse had ran far into the woods. He bounded over boulders and fallen logs as he raced through the trees. Suddenly he lost his footing and was thrown forward. As he flung out his hands to cushion his fall he realized that he was going to fly right into a spiky, gnarled tree stump!

With a sickening crunch, Jesse and the stump became one. Pain flooded his eleven year old body and although in the darkness he could not see it, he knew he was losing blood. He could feel it pooling under his crumpled form.

He knew he was going to die.

Jesse lay there bleeding in the dark for what seemed like an eternity, his life slowly draining out of him. He had not the strength to call for help and even if he did, he was too far removed from civilization for anyone to hear his calls.

"Well looky what we have here! Quite a gruesome sight! Wouldn't you agree boy?" said an enthusiastic voice.

Said voice was full of mirth but something about it chilled Jesse to the bone. He squinted through the darkness and saw an old man in a long black coat holding an ornately carved cane with a skull on top. It was indeed a strange sight especially since the man was eerily clean and unruffled. A feat which was nearly impossible this far out in the woods.

"Surprised?" he sneered, laughing his chilling laugh.

Jesse was too weak to answer

"Well Jesse, I think its time we got down to business." the man said.

"_How does he know my name?" _wondered Jesse

"What is it that your heart desires most Jesse Aarons?" said the man, now looking directly at Jesse. The answer was simple, barely requiring any thought on Jesse's part.

"Leslie." croaked Jesse

The man laughed again.

"And what would you give to have her back?" he said

"Why are you questioning me old man?" growled Jesse. All this talk of Leslie was beginning to make what little blood he had left boil.

"Answer the question please." insisted the old man, ignoring Jesse's outburst.

"Anything" he answered wearily

"Even your soul?" Asked the man.

"I said anything. I would give it all away if it meant her life. But Leslie's dead now...so it make no difference." muttered Jesse.

"What if I told you that there was a way to save her? What if I told you that all you had to do was sign this paper?" smirked the old man, drawing an ancient looking piece of parchment.

He held the paper out to Jesse.

He looked at the man in amazement. He sure had some nerve! How dare he mock Leslie's memory like this! But he was desperate and besides, the old man was obviously playing games with him. He reached out a bleeding hand towards the paper, but before he could take the man's pen to sign it, a drop of blood fell from his hand and onto the parchment.

"That will do." grinned the man.

Then, without warning, his eyes flared red and he thrust his index finger into Jesse's chest. It was pain beyond anything he had ever felt, his very soul felt like it was on fire. As Jesse's world went black he heard the man say:

"Jesse Aarons, your soul is mine."


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to say: I don't own Bridge to Terabithia or Ghost Rider.**

**In addition, I have just entered my sophomore year in high school and life is pretty hectic so updates will be less frequent. Probably only a weekly occasion. Thanks.**

**-Enter**

Jesse woke up abruptly. Surveying his surroundings, he came to the conclusion that he was in his room.

"_Weird. Considering the events of last night, I should be in the hospital at least." _He thought.

As he threw off his covers he received a shock that coursed through him like an electric current. His body was completely unharmed as if his accident had never occurred.

"_So it was all a dream..." _He thought.

But then something on the left side of his chest caught his attention. Like a vivid tattoo, there was a black pentagram inscribed on the flesh over his heart. Confusion crashed into his young mind like waves against the shore. If the night before had been a dream, then why was the dark symbol etched onto his person? He knew that the old man had thrust his finger into the exact place where the black mark now lay like a dark beacon against the pale flesh of his chest.

Suddenly May Belle burst into the room. Jesse quickly pulled the covers up over his chest, hiding the wicked mark from view.

"Jess! I called you three times already!" She said, holding up the telephone. "It's your girlfriend."

Jesse looked at her. He had no idea what May Belle was playing at, trying to recreate the day Leslie had died, but he took the phone regardless.

"Jess?" said the unmistakable voice of this music teacher, Miss Edmunds.

"What...?" he muttered into the receiver

"I have a few tickets to the national gallery and I was planning on taking my nephews but they cancelled on me. Can you believe that?" she laughed. "Anyway, I was wondering whether you wanted to come instead. So how about it?

"Miss Edmunds, what day is it?" asked Jess urgently. The situation was slowly forming in his mind, but he had to be sure.

"Its April fifth Jess." said Miss Edmunds. It was the day Leslie had drowned!

Jesse's mind raced to put this startling series of events together.

The day.

The mark.

The old man

"_It can't be!" _He thought.

He dashed to his window and looked out towards the Burke house. Mr. Burke's car gleamed in the driveway.

Why was it there if he had moved away after Leslie's death?

Jesse dropped the phone.

Like a flash, Jesse streaked out of his house and toward the Burke's. He had to know for sure. He raced up the front steps and knocked vigorously on the door. It opened and he was greeted by Mr. Burke.

"Hey Jess. My, your up early." He said cheerily. "I'll call Leslie."

She came down a minute later fully dressed in her normal attire, her short golden hair falling lazily into her beautiful face. She gave Jesse a huge smile when she saw him. This was too much for Jess. Falling to his knees, he fought to hold back tears.

She was alive.

Alive and happy.

And when Leslie was happy, so was Jess.

"Jess?" she said concernedly, kneeling at his side. "You ok?"

She had developed a strong crush on Jesse during their months of friendship and was starting to think that her feelings for him had blossomed into love.

"Im fine Les. Believe me I'm more than fine now." He said giving her a wide smile.

"Are you sure your alright Jess?" She said, obviously still worried.

He answered by wrapping his arms around her petite frame in a firm hug. He could feel her grinning contentedly against his neck.

"Race you to the treehouse?" she said brightly

Fear flooded Jesse

"Lesl-" he began but she cut him off.

"Ready! Set! GO!" she cried and ran out of her house towards the creek.

Jesse tore after.

He streaked through the fields, desperately trying to catch up to Leslie's running figure. Even as he ran, fear clutching him, he knew that he could not catch up to her. She had always been faster than him, beating him in every race.

Stream began to rise from his body, creating a light fog that hung around him like a shroud and whipped behind him like a silver cape as he ran.

Jesse, whose sole focus was Leslie barely noticed this.

The stream seemed to push Jesse's legs into overdrive and soon he was hot on Leslie's tail. But Leslie had already reached the creek, a smile still plastered on her pretty face. In one graceful movement she grabbed the rope and jumped just as Jesse burst into the clearing.

"STOP!!!!" he screamed but it was no use.

Leslie looked at him in mid-swing, and Jesse saw her eyes widen in confusion as she saw him. At that instant the old rope snapped.

Confusion turned to fear and panic as Leslie plummeted into the creek. With a gruesome cracking sound and a splash she disappeared under the dark water, a cloud of blood spreading from where she had just submerged.

"LESLIE!" Jesse roared, and bounded into the creek after her.

As he swam towards the bloody cloud of water ahead of him, steam began to rise form the water as well but it felt no warmer to him.

Reaching the red cloud, his hands began to search for her. A few seconds later, he pulled her unmoving body to the surface, her lips blue and her face and hair painted crimson with her blood.

Knowing that her time was running out, Jesse threw his head back screamed.

"**HEEEEEELP!!!!!**"

But the voice that issued from his mouth was not his own. Instead is was harsh and gravely like a lion's roar and was strangely distorted. It resounded through the trees like the the call of a long forgotten monster.

He then turned his attention back to Leslie and began CPR, remembering the what he had learned in a safety class he had taken a few years back. Dragging her to shore, he pressed his lips against hers, and began to breathe his life into her. When she did not continue to breathe after he had stopped, he performed five chest compressions, hoping, praying that she would awaken. After repeating CPR three times she coughed out a large quantity of water and began to breathe on her own.

By this time he noticed both his parents and Mr. and Mrs. Burke, scrambling down the bank to reach them. He guessed that they had also called 9-1-1 judging by the sound of approaching sirens. Knowing that they were saved, Jesse collapsed against a nearby boulder and let the adults take over.

Ten minutes later, Jesse watched as Leslie was attended to by medics. Suddenly he felt himself being pulled into a hug.

It was Mr. Burke.

"They said that once she gets to the hospital she'll be able to make a full recovery" he said, tears of relief and happiness sliding down his face.

"Thank you Jess. Thank you for my daughter."

Jesse took one last look at Leslie as the medics placed her stretcher in the back of the ambulance,and felt the mark on his chest burn.

He knew it wasn't over.


End file.
